The Influence of Learners’ Motivation on Their Academic Performance in learning English as a second foreign language: A Study on Secondary School Students of Boussada State
Abstract
This study was conducted to explore students’ perceptions of motivation to learn English as a second foreign language, to identify whether there is a significant difference in students’ motivation for learning English as a second foreign language in terms of their gender, and to establish whether a significant correlation exists between student`s motivation and their academic performance. The study also investigates whether students’ motivation predicts their academic performance in English language learning based on the perceptions of four secondary school students in Boussada state, Algeria. The survey instrument employed was adopted from Jane. The data was analysed using SPSS V28 by using the mean scores, frequency, correlation matrix, and regression. The findings of the study revealed that secondary school students were highly motivated when reading textbooks, conversing with their peers. However, the scores for students’ conversations both inside and outside the English-language classroom were low, and this might be due to some unforeseen reasons. In addition, the findings revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female students concerning their motivation for learning English as a second foreign language. The findings also showed a positive correlation between students’ motivation and their academic performance, and that students’ motivation is a significant predictor of their academic performance in English language learning. Based on the findings, it is recommended that teachers need to be more creative and diversified in their pedagogical techniques, employ various instructional media and strategies, and be updated on engaging new materials that can enhance their students' outcomes in English as a second foreign language. It is of paramount importance for teachers as well to encourage their students to practice English during teaching and learning activities inside the classrooms.
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